Sailboat traveler apparatus

ABSTRACT

Traveler apparatus including an extruded track having a top groove and oppositely opening side grooves, and a traveler of Ushaped cross section overlying the track with two sets of side rollers in the side grooves and a set of top rollers on the top groove. Each side set comprises three rollers, the center roller of each set being offset downwardly to increase the effective width of the set. The track is attached by bolts through the bottom of the top groove, and a short section of the same shape as the traveler is bolted to each end of the track.

United States Patent lnventor Tracy S. Holmes 649 lllghtree Road, SantaMonica, Calif. 90402 Appl. No. 25,939

Filed Apr. 6, 1970 Patented Nov. 30, 197 l SAILBOAT TRAVELER APPARATUS 8Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. CL

Field of Search 1 14/204, lll, 112;l05/154;104/95,l07,247

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,624,449 1/1953 Williams 105/154X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,189,771 3/1959 France 104/247 PrimaryExaminer-Andrew H. Farrell Allorney- Fulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee &Utecht ABSTRACT: Traveler apparatus including an extruded track having atop groove and oppositely opening side grooves, and a traveler ofU-shaped cross section overlying the track with two sets of side rollersin the side grooves and a set of top rollers on the top groove. Eachside set comprises three rollers, the center roller of each set beingofl'set downwardly to increase the effective width of the set. The trackis attached by bolts through the bottom of the top groove, and a shortsection of the same shape as the traveler is bolted to each end of thetrack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to fittingsfor sailboats, and has particular reference to a so-called traveler thatis mountable on an elongated track on one part of the sailboat,typically along the upper surface of the transom, to move back and forthtransversely of the sailboat.

When so mounted, the traveler is connected to the aft end portion of theboom of the mainsail by a suitable rigging including a line, called themainsheet, and appropriate pulley blocks enabling the sailor to controlthe length of the mainsheet between the traveler and the boom, therebycontrolling the angular position of the boom relative to the mast and tothe centerline of the boat. This determines the angle of attack of thesail to the wind.

The mainsheet also holds the boom down against the tendency of the sailto billow outwardly, and thus is used to adjust the tension in the sailand to trim or flatten the body of the sail and the trailing edge orleech thereof. To hold the entire sail at the most advantageous anglerelative to the wind, the traveler forms a selectively movableconnection between the mainsheet and the hull and is shiftable towardone side or the other of the boat so as to optimize the downward pull onthe boom and reduce the lateral component of this pull.-

The forces developed on the sail, and transferred through the boom andthe mainsheet to the traveler and the track, can be very large,particularly in sailboats of larger sizes. Since these forces areapplied to the traveler at varying angles tending to cant the travelerrelative to the trackupward, outward, and to some extent forwardthetraveler often binds on its track and thus fails to slide freely fromone desired position to another.

Various designs for travelers have been proposed, including simpleslides with flanges along both sides hooked into grooves in the sides ofthe track, and more complex roller travelers usually having two sets ofrollers riding in grooves formed in opposite sides of the track, therollers and grooves sometimes being set at special angles in an attemptto avoid binding of the rollers in the grooves under the tilting forcesencountered in use. Despite these efi'orts, the travelers that arecommercially available, including the special designs which arerelatively expensive, still are subject to binding.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in a noveltraveler apparatus including a traveler which is capable of sustainingall of the angular forces normally developed in sailboats, includingsailboats of larger sizes, and remaining free to slide back and forthalong its track. Moreover, this is accomplished with a traveler ofrelatively simple construction capable of being massproduced atcompetitive cost, and in which special provision is made to avoidfouling of portions of the track normally horizontally disposed so as tocollect dirt and the like.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown herein for purposesof illustration, the traveler apparatus includes an elongated trackhaving two oppositely opening grooves in its oppositely facing sidesurfaces and a third groove in its top surface between the sidesurfaces, and the traveler is a car movable along the top surface withsidewalls overhanging the side surfaces and carrying three sets of atleast two rollers each, the rollers being journaled on the car to ridein the respective grooves in closely spaced relation with the sidewallsof the grooves. The two sets of side edge rollers sustain the majorityof the force applied to the traveler, and the third set restrictscanting of the traveler to prevent binding of the side edge rollers.

In addition, each set of side edge rollers preferably includes a thirdroller disposed between the two main rollers and offset therefromtransversely of the track to increase the effective bearing width of theset of rollers while leaving sufficient clearance around each roller tominimize the effects of fouling of the grooves by accumulated dirt andthe like. The third groove in the track also facilitates secureattachment of the track to the transom, and a strip of the samecross-sectional shape as the traveler may be used to form end stops onthe track.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a traveler apparatus embodying the novel features of the presentinvention, shown with a representative rigging, a central portion of thetruck being removed for compactness of illustration;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view takensubstantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken substantially along the line3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the traveler along.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the drawings, the invention is embodiedin a traveler apparatus, indicated generally at 10, comprising anelongated track 11 fastened to a supporting member 12 in a generallyhorizontal position, and a traveler 13 mounted on the track for movementback and forth thereon, longitudinally of the track between differentselected positions along the track. On top of the traveler is aneye-strap fitting 14 for connection to a block 15 around which amainsheet line 17 is trained, this line being connected to the boom (notshown) of the sailboat. A control line 18 is anchored to an eye 19 onthe support 12 behind the track, and passes between a pair ofperipherally grooved rollers 20 on top of the traveler to a fittingincluding a bulls-eye" guide 2l and a cam cleat 22 on the support infront of the track. This rigging adjustably limits movement of thetraveler 13 in either direction along the track 11 under the forcesexerted through the mainsheet 17.

There is one typical mainsheet rigging for a traveler, and it should beunderstood that various other riggings and uses are contemplated asbeing within the spirit and scope of the invention. With theillustrative arrangement, the traveler 13 may be released to movefarther toward one end of the track 11 by releasing the grip of the camcleat 22 on the control line 18 and pennitting an additional length ofthe control line to feed to the rear through the bullS-eye guide 21,thus allowing the boom to swing farther to the side toward which thetraveler moves. Conversely, by hauling in on the control line, thetraveler can be drawn closer to center, thus pulling the boomcorrespondingly closer to center.

As previously mentioned, the forces developed on the controlled said andtransmitted to the traveler 13 by the mainsheet 17 can be of a verylarge magnitude, and these forces almost always are applied to thetraveler at an angle inclined laterally upwardly and forwardly so as totilt the traveler relative to the track. With conventional travelers,whether simple slides or of the roller type, binding of the traveler onthe track has been a problem.

In accordance with the primary aspect of the present invention, thetrack 11 is formed with two oppositely opening grooves 23 and 24 in itsoppositely facing side edges, herein the front and rear edges, and witha third groove 25 in its top surface, and the traveler 13 is in the formof a car having two sets of rollers 27 and 28 disposed within the sidegrooves and a third set of rollers 29 disposed within the top groove 25,the side rollers thus being positioned to sustain vertical components ofthe forces exerted on the traveler and the top rollers being positionedto sustain front-to-rear tilting components. Accordingly, the three setsof rollers cooperate with each other to prevent tilting or twisting ofthe traveler in any direction to an extent sufficient to cause bindingof the traveler on the track.

In the present instance, the track 11 is a metal extrusion having a flatbase wall 30 (see FIG. 3) resting on the support 12 and centrallyfastened thereto by bolts 31 passed through a series of holes 32 drilledthrough the base wall along the bottom of the top groove 25, and alsohaving two upstanding longitudinal walls of inverted L-shaped crosssection that are spaced inwardly from the side edges 33 of the base walland integrally joined thereto with the upper leg 34 of each inserted L"parallel to the base wall and extending away from the other L-shapedwall. Thus, the top groove is defined between ways on the two L-shapedwalls and the side grooves are defined between ways on the opposite edgeportions of the basewall and the overhanging, parallel legs 34 of the L-shaped walls.

The car which constitutes the body of the traveler 13 similar may be ashort section of extruded metal, and herein is of inverted U-shapedcross section formed by a substantially rectangular crosspiece 35 whichoverlies the top surface of the track 11, and two depending side flanges37 overhanging the side edges of the track and preferably extendingdownwardly on both sides to approximately the level of the top of thebase wall 30. For increased strength in the areas of the car supportingthe three sets of rollers, the extrusion is thickened at 38 above thetop groove 25 and at 39 along both of the side grooves 23 and 24.

While the rollers may be mounted on the car in various ways, herein theside rollers 27 and 28 are rings that are journaled on fixed axles inthe form of pins 40 pressed into holes in the flanges 37, the rollersbeing confined on the pins between the inner sides of the flanges andheads 41 on the inner ends of the pins, and being rotatably supported onantifriction bearings 42 between the rings and the pins. Preferably,these side rollers project into the respective grooves generally in acommon longitudinal plane which is horizontal when the track is mountedhorizontally with the top surface facing upwardly, as shown in FIG. 1.

The upper rollers 29 may also be mounted on pins pressed into the car,but herein are journaled on the lower end portions of two bolts 43 (seeFIG. 3) which hold the eye-strap 14, a top plate 44 for the groovedrollers 20, and the grooved rollers themselves, on the car. The boltshave heads abutting against the tops of the ends of the eye-straps,extend through the top plate 44 and the rollers into aligned holes 45 inthe crosspiece of the car, and project downwardly into the top groove 25of the track 11 with nuts 47 and washers 48 below the rollers 29 in thetop groove. As before, the rollers are rings rotatably supported on thebolts by antifriction bearings 49, the bearings being telescoped oversleeves 50 which space the washers 48 an appropriate distance below thecar.

As will be seen in FIG. 4, there are two top rollers 29 that are spacedapart longitudinally of the track 11 in a vertical plane perpendicularto the plane of the side rollers, to ride between the parallel sidewallsof the top groove 25 in closely spaced relation with these sidewalls,the clearance being on the order of 0.010 of an inch for a relativelyclose fit. This restricts tilting of the traveler transversely of thetop groove, in a front-to-rear direction when the track is mounted withthe top surface facing upwardly as shown in FIGS. 1-3, and thus protectsthe side rollers 27 and 28 from tilting relative to the side grooves 23and 24 to an extent that could cause binding of these rollers in themanner that has been experienced with prior roller travelers withoutsuch top rollers.

While only two rollers might be used on each side of the track 11, asecondary aspect of the invention contemplates the provision of a thirdroller 27:: and 28a in each set, midway between each end roller of theset and ofiset slightly from the level of the end rollers toward thelower side of the set to increase the effective width of the set ofrollers. With this arrangement, the opposite sides of the rollers, as aset, are in closely spaced relation with the sides of the associatedgroove, but a greater degree of total clearance is allowed around eachindividual roller.

When an upward force is applied to the traveler 13 through the mainsheet17, the two end rollers 27, 28 of each side set are pulled up againstthe overhanging upper walls 34 of the side groove to slide back andforth freely thereon with the center rollers 27a, 28a spaced from thelower groove walls and substantially idle in the upper track. As hasbeen mentioned, a pure upward force is not a customarily encounteredcondition.

When the force is inclined forwardly and upwardly toward either side, asoften occurs in use, the front center roller 27a is pressed down towardthe lower wall of the front side groove 23 while one of the end rollersof the front set is pressed against the overhanging upper groove wall34. At the same time, the rollers of the rear side set movecorrespondingly relative to their groove walls. The top rollers 29restrict forward tilting by bearing against the front walls of the uppergroove 25, thus cooperating with the side rollers to prevent excessivecanting of the traveler. Regardless of the angle of the traveler, anincreased amount of clearance is provided in the side grooves tominimize the effect of accumulated foreign matter in these grooves andthereby prevent interference with the movements of the traveler if theside grooves become fouled to a reasonable extent in use.

To prevent the traveler 13 from running off the track 11 at either end,stops 5] are securely fastened to the ends of the track to serve asmotion-limiting abutments. For economy of manufacture, a shorttransverse section of the same extrusion from which the traveler isformed is fitted around the end of the track as shown in FIG. 1, andheld thereon by a bolt 52 passed through aligned holes in the track andthe side flanges 53 of the stop section. Since this section is of thesame crosssectional shape as the traveler, it fits closely around theend of the track, its width preferably being approximately the same asthe thickness of the track. Thus opposed edge surfaces 54 of the stopsection are positioned to abut against the traveler as the latterreaches either end of the track.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention providesa relatively simple and inexpensive traveler apparatus in whichexcessive tilting and binding are positively prevented, and in whichadequate clearance is provided in the side grooves to minimizeinterference with the traveler by accumulated foreign matter withoutexcessive play of the side rollers in their grooves. Moreover, thespecial form of the track permits convenient attachment through thebottom wall of the top groove, and the end stops of the track areeffectively and inexpensively formed by sections of the same materialused for the traveler.

I claim:

1. For use on a sailboat to control the position of a sail, a travelerapparatus comprising:

an elongated track having a top surface and side surfaces on oppositesides of said top surface, and including first and second longitudinalgrooves in said side surfaces and a third longitudinal groove in saidtop surface, each of said grooves having spaced sidewalls forming waysin said track;

a traveler movable back and forth along said track, said travelercomprising a car having a wall overlying the top wall of said track,sidewalls overhanging the side surfaces of said track, first and secondsets of rollers journaled on said sidewalls and disposed, respectively,in said first and second grooves, and a third set of rollers journaledon said overlying wall and disposed in said third groove, each of saidsets of rollers including at least two rollers spaced apartlongitudinally of said track and disposed between the sidewalls of theassociated groove in closely spaced relation therewith;

said first and second sets comprising three rollers each, the middleroller of each set being ofiset away from the other two rollers of theset, and the widths of said first and second grooves being greater thanthe spacing between remote sides of the rollers therein; and

means on said car for connecting the car to a movable portion of a sail.

2. For use on a sailboat to control the position of a sail, a

traveler apparatus comprising:

an elongated track having a top surface and side surfaces on oppositesides of said top surface, and including first and second longitudinalgrooves in said side surfaces having horizontal top and bottomsidewalls, and a third longitudinal groove in said top surface havingvertical front and rear sidewalls, the sidewalls of each of said groovesforming a way in said track;

traveler movable back and forth along said track, said travelercomprising a car having a wall overlying the top wall of said track,sidewalls overhanging the side surfaces 1 of said track, first andsecond sets of rollers journaled on said car sidewalls and disposed,respectively, in said first and second grooves, and a third set ofrollers journaled on said overlying wall and disposed in said thirdgroove, each of said sets of rollers including at least two cylindricalrollers spaced apart longitudinally of said track and disposed betweenthe sidewalls of the associated groove in closely spaced relationtherewith; and

means on said car for connecting the car to a movable portion of a sail.

3. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which car is of U-shapedcross section including a crosspiece overlying said top surface, anddepending flanges forming said sidewalls of said car, said first andsecond sets of rollers projecting into said first and second grooves ina longitudinal plane generally parallel to said crosspiece and saidthird set of rollers projecting into said third groove in a longitudinalplane perpendicular to said crosspiece.

4. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said track has abottom flat base wall and two longitudinal walls of inverted L-shapedcross section upstanding from said base wall and defining said grooves,said base wall having a series of holes therein between said upstandinglongitudinal walls for attachment of the track to a support.

5. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said car is ofU-shaped cross section with depending flanges forming said sidewalls,and further including a stop fastened to each end of said track havingthe same cross-sectional shape as said car.

6. For use on a sailboat to control the position of a sail, a travelerapparatus comprising: 7

an elongated track having a top surface and side surfaces on oppositesides of said top surface, first and second longitudinal grooves in saidside surfaces, and a third longitudinal groove in said top surfacehaving upright sidewalls;

a traveler movable back and forth along said track and comprising a carof inverted U-shaped cross section with a top wall and depending flangesoverhanging the side surfaces of said track, said car having first andsecond sets of rollers journaled on said flanges and riding in thegrooves in said side surfaces, and a third set of generally cylindricalrollers journaled on said top wall and riding in the groove in said topsurface;

stops at the ends of said track comprising short pieces having the sameU-shaped cross-sectional shape as said car, said stops having acrosspiece extending across the ends of said track, and flangesextending longitudinally along the opposite sides of the adjacent endportion of said track; and

fasteners connecting the flanges of said stops to the ends of saidtracks, said car and said flanges being constructed of different lengthsof the same manufactured part.

7. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said track has aflat base wall and two longitudinal walls of inverted L-shaped crosssection upstanding from said base wall and cooperating therewith todefine the two grooves in said side surfaces between said base wall andoverhanging portions of said L-shaped walls and defining the groove insaid top surface between upstanding portions ofsaid L-shaped walls.

8. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said base wall hasa series of holes therein between said L-shaped walls and along thebottom of the groove in said top surface, for connection of said tr ackto a support.

1. For use on a sailboat to control the position of a sail, a travelerapparatus comprising: an elongated track having a top surface and sidesurfaces on opposite sides of said top surface, and including first andsecond longitudinal grooves in said side surfaces and a thirdlongitudinal groove in said top surface, each of said grooves havingspaced sidewalls forming ways in said track; a traveler movable back andforth along said track, said traveler comprising a car having a walloverlying the top wall of said track, sidewalls overhanging the sidesurfaces of said track, first and second sets of rollers journaled onsaid sidewalls and disposed, respectively, in said first and secondgrooves, and a third set of rollers journaled on said overlying wall anddisposed in said third groove, each of said sets of rollers including atleast two rollers spaced apart longitudinally of said track and disposedbetween the sidewalls of the associated groove in closely spacedrelation therewith; said first and second sets comprising three rollerseach, the middle roller of each set being offset away from the other tworollers of the set, and the widths of said first and second groovesbeing greater than the spacing between remote sides of the rollerstherein; and means on said car for connecting the car to a movableportion of a sail.
 2. For use on a sailboat to control the position of asail, a traveler apparatus comprising: an elongated track having a topsurface and side surfaces on opposite sides of said top surface, andincluding first and second longitudinal grooves in said side surfaceshaving horizontal top and bottom sidewalls, and a third longitudinalgroove in said top surface having vertical front and rear sidewalls, thesidewalls of each of said grooves forming a way in said track; atraveler movable back and forth along said track, said travelercomprising a car having a wall overlying the top wall of said track,sidewalls overhanging the side surfaces of said track, first and secondsets of rollers journaled on said car sidewalls and disposed,respectively, in said first and second grooves, and a third set ofrollers journaled on said overlying wall and disposed in said thirdgroove, each of said sets of rollers including at least two cylindricalrollers spaced apart longitudinally of said track and disposed betweenthe sidewalls of the associated groove in closely spaced relationtherewith; and means on said car for connecting the car to a movableportion of a sail.
 3. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 2 in whichcar is of U-shaped cross section including a crosspiece overlying saidtop surface, and depending flanges forming said sidewalls of said car,said first and second sets of rollers projecting into said first andsecond grooves in a longitudinal plane generally parallel to saidcrosspiece and said third set of rollers projecting into said thirdgroove in a longitudinal plane perpendicular to said crosspiece. 4.Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said track has abottom flat base wall and two longitudinal walls of inverted L-shapedcross section upstanding from said base wall and defining said grooves,said base wall having a series of holes therein between said upstandinglongitudinal walls for attachment of the track to a support.
 5. Travelerapparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said car is of U-shaped crosssection with depending flanges forming said sidewalls, and furtherincluding a stop fastened to each end of said track having the samecross-sectional shape as said car.
 6. For use on a sailboat to controlthe position of a sail, a traveler apparatus comprising: an elongatedtrack having a top surface and side surfaces on opposite sides of saidtop surface, first and second longitudinal grooves in said sidesurfaces, and a third longitudinal groove in said top surface havingupright sidewalls; a traveler movable back and forth along said trackand comprising a car of inverted U-shaped cross section with a top walland depending flanges overhanging the side surfaces of said track, saidcar having first and second sets of rollers journaled on said flangesand riding in the grooves in said side surfaces, and a third set ofgenerally cylindrical rollers journaled on said top wall and riding inthe groove in said top surface; stops at the ends of said trackcomprising short pieces having the same U-shaped cross-sectional shapeas said car, said stops having a crosspiece extending across the ends ofsaid track, and flanges extending longitudinally along the oppositesides of the adjacent end portion of said track; and fastenersconnecting the flanges of said stops to the ends of said tracks, saidcar and said flanges being constructed of different lengths of the samemanufactured part.
 7. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 6 in whichsaid track has a flat base wall and two longitudinal walls of invertedL-shaped cross section upstanding from said base wall and cooperatingtherewith to define the two grooves in said side surfaces between saidbase wall and overhanging portions of said L-shaped walls and definingthe groove in said top surface between upstanding portions of saidL-shaped walls.
 8. Traveler apparatus as defined in claim 7 in whichsaid base wall has a series of holes therein between said L-shaped wallsand along the bottom of the groove in said top surface, for connectionof said track to a support.